1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicles, specifically to an all terrain tricycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to a trike, is a three-wheeled vehicle. While tricycles are often associated with the small three-wheeled vehicles used by pre-school age children, they are also used by adults for a variety of purposes. Adult-sized tricycles are used primarily by older persons for recreation, shopping, and exercise. In addition, tricycles are used primarily for commercial transportation, either of passengers in pedicabs, or of freight and deliveries. Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples of references related to the present invention are described below in their own words, and the supporting teachings of each reference are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,862, issued to Kettler, discloses a tricycle and intermediate frame for tricycle. The tricycle includes a rear axle, rear wheels coupled to free ends of the rear axle, a rear seat, and a rear frame coupled to the rear axle and to the rear seat. A front frame includes a fork tube, and the front frame and the rear frame are detachably connectable to each other. The tricycle also includes a handlebar, and a fork coupled to the handle bar. The fork is rotatably coupled to the fork tube. A front wheel includes pedal cranks and is rotatably coupled to the fork. A second seat and a holding element are also included. The intermediate frame is arranged to support the second seat and the holding element, and is detachably coupled between the front frame and the rear frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,058, issued to Jinks, discloses an adult tricycle is provided comprised of a standard conventional adult tricycle and a double occupancy child seat connected with the operator's portion of the vehicle. In this configuration a child or children would be able to sit in a safe environment behind the operator's seat. The child's seat includes a padded seat with seat belts, and an enclosed front, sides, and back, in order to prevent accidental entanglement between the passengers and any of the moving parts. With the seating area being part of the operator portion of the tricycle, as opposed to a trailer-style, the tricycle achieves much greater stability and security for both operator and passengers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,381, issued to Feikema, discloses a tricycle including a generally horizontal perimeter frame supported above the ground by a pair of rear wheels and a steerable front wheel. The perimeter frame is continuous along one side and front and back while having an opening in the opposite side just ahead of the rear wheel serving as a pass-thru for ease of entry and egress with regard to a seat positioned generally between the rear wheels. An openable gate may be provided which fits into the opening and renders this side of the frame continuous. The device is propelled by foot rotation of a forwardly positioned foot crank which is held for rotation along a generally horizontal axis between the sides of the frame. A chain gear is connected at one end of the foot crank which driveably engages an endless chain positioned in elongated fashion along one side of the frame. The chain then driveably engages a second chain gear connected to one rear wheel. The coasting feature is accomplished in the preferred embodiment by a one-way free wheel hub disposed between the foot crank chain gear and the foot crank end whereby the chain is always in motion whenever the rear wheels are rotating, although the free-wheel hub may also be connected to one rear wheel instead.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,721, issued to Gobby, discloses a twin chain drive mechanism for the propulsion of a pair of separated, aligned axle shafts and their attached rear road wheels of a tricycle at various speeds by the manipulation of its pedals, each independent axle shaft having a free-wheeling drive sprocket removably attached thereto which allows for coasting and the variable speeds of the wheels required during operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,985, issued to Tompsett, discloses an improved two-wheel-drive bicycle having, in certain preferred forms, a chain-driven front-drive mechanism having a gearing arrangement attached to the fork assembly, whereby the gear arrangement, using fixed-axis and variable-axis turning members, transfers rotational power from the drive mechanism along and around the steering axis to the front sprocket. Certain preferred embodiments include particular gearing arrangements and particular ways of getting bicycle power to the fixed-axis turning members.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include being limited in application, being limited in adaptability, being limited in mobility, being expensive, being difficult to use, being difficult to maintain, failing to adapt to differing riding conditions, and/or being limited in use.
What is needed is a tricycle that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.